By Bill Leonard Southern Baptists have just elected their first African-American denominational president, Fred Luter, pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans. Roman Catholic bishops in the U.S. are promoting a “religious liberty drive against a government and…
A conversion we all need
We had just left the Omar ben Abdul Aziz mosque in suburban Atlanta when he leaned his large frame up toward me in the van and, with tears in his eyes, said, “Dr. Nash, why don’t we get down on…
CBF at crossroads
By Marv Knox Three issues — two on the agenda and one not — will occupy the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s attention during its General Assembly in Fort Worth, Texas, June 21-22. First will be the retirement of CBF’s longtime executive…
CBF at crossroads
By Marv Knox Three issues — two on the agenda and one not — will occupy the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s attention during its General Assembly in Fort Worth, Texas, June 21-22. First will be the retirement of CBF’s longtime executive…
“The Blind Side” gets blindsided
Baptist news wires carried the story recently about a successful protest by a Baptist preacher to remove a movie from LifeWay stores. The movie is “The Blind Side,” starring Sandra Bullock. It was based on the book by the same…
Margin for error
As I pulled up to the middle school for my child’s sixth grade awards ceremony recently, I couldn’t help but think back to a similar day just a few years ago. It was a Friday, my day off, and I’d…
When will SBC address clergy sex abuse?
By Christa Brown The Southern Baptist Convention is convening its annual ballyhoo in New Orleans this week, but it doesn’t look as though they will make any progress on protecting kids against clergy sex abuse. Since 2006, clergy abuse survivors,…
The formation and reception of believer-theologians
But on the other hand…. My college philosophy professor Wallace Roark taught me that cultivating the capacity to “think on the other hand”—to Think Like an Octopus—is the key to becoming a good thinker. “But on the other hand” is…
Honoring the military
By Miguel De La Torre During the recent Memorial Day weekend, we heard a lot of patriot rhetoric about those who gave their lives protecting our freedom. While I respect those who join the armed services out of a sense…
CBF at crossroads
By Marv Knox Three issues — two on the agenda and one not — will occupy the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s attention during its General Assembly in Fort Worth, Texas, June 21-22. First will be the retirement of CBF’s longtime executive…
The Bible, the ballot box and same-sex marriage
May 8, 2012 was a disappointing day. Amendment One – the constitutional amendment banning all legal recognition of same-sex relationships – passed in North Carolina. And passed by a healthy margin. I had recently been involved – albeit in a…
Father’s Day 2012
By Roger Lovette Somewhere I read of a young man who in a fit of rage killed his father. That night when everyone was asleep in the jail, the jailer heard the boy sobbing: “I want my Father. I want…